Shoe-lacer.



J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

' APPL1ATION-PILBD OCT.4,1911. 19083,??5.. Patented Jan.6,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.4,`1911. 1,983,775. Patented 3311.6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES J. THOMAS, or WRITING, IOWA.

SHOE-LAGER.

Lesen/75.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

Application led October 4, 1911. Serial No. 652,683.

To all whom t may 0011061111:

Be it known that l, JAMES J. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Whiting, inthe county of Monona and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lacers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to shoe fasteners, and more particularly to improvements in Letters-Patent No. V991,251, issued to me May a, 1911.

The primary obj ect of the invention is the provision of a lacer in which the upper of a shoe may be properly adjusted, so as to snugly fit about the ankle of a wearer, and that will permit the ready and quick lacing and unlacing of the shoe, without the use of a shoe string or other lacing of a similar t e.

y1iinother object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be adjusted to various styles of shoes, whereby the same may be readily and quickly fastened or unfastened, the device being readily adjustable, so as to permit a shoe to properly lit a wearer.

A still further object ofthe invention is the provision of a lacer of this character which is simple in construction, eiiicient in its purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, com bination and arrangement of parts, 'as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a'perspective view of a shoe of the ordinary construction, with the lacer attached thereto constructed in accordance with the invention, the shoe upper being partly laced. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the lacer and adjacent parts of the shoel upper.l Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. lFig. 4 is a perspective view `of one ofthe eye members detached from the -shoe upper. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rider member of the device.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the shoe is of the ordinary wellknown construction, comprising a body 5 having an upper 6, the latter being provided with the usual vent at the front of the shoe, and at opposite sides of which are arrangedA the described.

The shoe fastening or lacing device comprises a series of hollow tubular members 10 and 11, respectively, the members 11 being provided with ldownturned hooks 12 which are adapted to detachably engage in openings or slots 13 formed in the members 10. The members 10 and 11 are each formed with central laterally extending wings 14 provided at their free ends with eyes 15, and through these eyes 15 is trained or threaded a string 16, the same being, also threaded through eye members 17 fixed to the flaps 7 and reinforcing strips 9, so as to project beyond the edges thereof in spaced relation to each other.

By reference to Fig. 3 of, the drawings it will be noted that the wings 14 are integrally formed with the tubular members 10 and 11, and comprise a strap which is approximately centrally offset at an angle Ifrom each of said members. The strap is 'bent to provide the eye 15, and is from thence continued inwardly toward the tubular member and passed through a suitable opening in the outer side of said tubular member. The portion entering the opening is bent at an angle to engage with the inner face of said tubular member and to sustain its longitudinal portions or arms in engagement with each other.

rlChe members lO and 11 are formed at opposite ends with links 18, loosely engag-Y ing each other, so as to permit the flexing of the said members 10 and 11 when opening and closing the vent in the shoe upper,- it being seen that the said members 10 and 11 are arranged in rows at opposite sides of the vent, while the lowermost, members 10 and 11 of the rows,- at the lower end of thev vent, have their links 18 pivoted or otherwise connected to a terminal plate 19 .which i-s permanently arranged at the lower or closed end of the vent, and is formed with terminal eyes 20, through which is threaded the string 16. Thus, it will be seen that upon loosening the string 16, the members 10 and 11 will be permitted to be spaced from the flaps 7, thereby increasing the size of the shoe upper, and upon tightening the string, the said shoe upper will be decreased in size, so that in this manner it will properly fit the instep of the wearer of the shoe. -Mounted for sliding engagement with the members 10 and 11 is a rider member, comprising diverging sleeve portions 21 which are slitted, as at 22, in their concave sides, for the free travel of the said rider upon the members 10 and 11, the slits 22 in the rider being designed to receive the Wings 14 and allow the sleeve portions 21 to pass to either side of the same. This rider, when traversing the members .and 11 toward the upper edge of the upper 6 of the shoe, causes the members 10 a-nd 11 to approach each other and bring the hooks 12 on the members 11 into engagement in the openings 1'8 in the members 10, thereby locking the members together for the closing and fastening of the vent-in the shoe upper.

Each of the eye members 17 carried by the shoe upper 6 comprises a single strip of metal 23, from one end of which is cut a bendable locking tongue or spur 24 which is adapted to engage in an opening 25 in the opposite end thereof, so that upon bend- -ing the strip 23'into substantially U-shape,

whereby the ends thereof will lie at opposite sides of the upper 6 against the outer face of the flap 7 and the outer face of the reinforcing strip 9 a blow from a suitable tool will force the spur 26 through the opening 25'and olench. the said spur, thereby securing the eye member 17 to the shoe upper, as will be obvious.

IVhat is claimed is:

In a device for the purpose set forth, tubular interlocking members, each of said members having its outer side provided with anffintegrally formed longitudinally extending wing, each of said Wings being centrally bent to provide an eye, the wing beyond the eye being projctedthrough an opening in the side of the tubular member, and an extremity of the Wing being bent against the inner face of said tubular member.

In testimony whereof yI aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES J. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

E. M. CAssIDY, J r., ERNEST MCBRATH. 

